Orthognathic (Double Jaw) Surgery

According to The Barunface's non-covered fee schedule, lower jaw surgery is KRW 9,000,000, orthognathic (double jaw) surgery is KRW 14,000,000, and protruding mouth surgery (ASO) is KRW 11,000,000. Orthognathic surgery is a non-covered (not covered by national health insurance) treatment. The surgery fee varies depending on the scope of surgery (double jaw, lower jaw, combined) and the anesthesia, hospitalization, and examination items, and is provided in writing after diagnosis. You can check the standard amounts in the non-covered fee schedule on our website. The exact total is provided in writing after diagnosis.

Returning to daily life usually takes 2–3 weeks (varies by individual). Immediately after surgery – Day 3: Pain and swelling management during hospitalization, ice packs, upper body kept upright. Swelling-control injections and regenerative laser are applied depending on your condition. Weeks 1–2: Liquid diet, oral rinsing, light walks. Stitches are removed around week 2. This is when swelling noticeably decreases. Weeks 3–6: Progress to soft foods and return to social life. Orthodontic treatment resumes with your orthodontist after surgery. Month 3 – Year 1: Residual swelling and sensation gradually recover. After the bone has firmly healed, the fixation pins are removed if necessary. Recovery speed varies from person to person.

After orthognathic surgery, there may be reduced sensation in the lip and chin area (mostly recovering within several months, rarely persisting), bleeding, infection, swelling and bruising, jaw joint discomfort, changes in bite, plate-related problems, and the possibility of reoperation. There are also risks associated with general anesthesia. Results and recovery speed vary from person to person, so please make your decision carefully after receiving a thorough explanation before surgery. All surgeries and procedures may involve side effects such as bleeding, swelling, bruising, sensory abnormalities, infection, asymmetry, and the possibility of reoperation, and results and recovery speed vary by individual. Please be sure to tell us about any systemic conditions, medications you are taking, and pregnancy during your consultation.

Surgery takes about 3–4 hours (longer for combined procedures), under general anesthesia managed by an anesthesiologist, followed by a 1–3 day stay in a private room. At The Barunface, board-certified oral & maxillofacial surgeon Dr. Sang-Hoon Lee personally treats every patient.

We do not claim that we are unconditionally better than a large hospital in Seoul. However, at The Barunface in Seomyeon, Busan, a board-certified oral & maxillofacial surgeon trained at Seoul National University Dental Hospital and Asan Medical Center in Seoul personally handles your consultation, 3D surgical planning, surgery, private-room recovery, and follow-up care. If a problem arises after surgery, you can check directly with your operating surgeon nearby. Stories from patients who considered Seoul but chose Busan are on the 'Orthognathic Surgery: Do I Need to Go to Seoul?' page.

Surgery is possible from around age 18 (international age), when jaw growth has mostly finished (slightly earlier for women, slightly later for men). If growth remains, the jaw may grow again after surgery, so we assess growth first.

If only the lower jaw is the problem, lower jaw surgery (SSRO) alone may be enough. If the upper jaw also has height, tilt, or asymmetry issues, orthognathic surgery that repositions both the upper and lower jaws is needed. We determine which is appropriate through 3D analysis.

Orthognathic surgery alone takes about 3–4 hours. If combined with facial contouring, it may take 5 hours or more.

Usually 1–3 days. You recover in a private room, and Dr. Lee decides when you can be discharged based on your eating, pain, and swelling.

Surgery is performed through the mucosa inside the mouth, so no incision is made in the facial skin. The sutured areas inside the mouth heal as the mucosa recovers, and the degree of recovery varies from person to person.

Orthodontic treatment before surgery usually takes 6 months to 1.5 years, and after surgery about 6 months to 1 year. The surgery-first approach can shorten the pre-surgical orthodontic period, but it does not apply to every case.

It may be possible depending on the degree of dental compensation and your bite. Together with the orthodontist, we determine whether it applies using dental models and 3D analysis.

Because the surgery involves the area where the lower jaw nerve passes, sensation in the lower lip and chin area may be dulled after surgery. Most patients recover over several months, but in rare cases some reduced sensation may remain, so we always explain this before surgery.

Major swelling subsides in about 2 weeks, and residual swelling goes down gradually over 3–6 months. Your final facial contour settles in 6 months to 1 year.

A liquid diet begins the day after surgery. We then progress to porridge and soft foods after about 2 weeks, and to regular meals after 4–6 weeks. Avoid hard or chewy foods for 2–3 months.

For office workers and students, we recommend 2–3 weeks after surgery; for jobs involving a lot of talking or physical activity, around 4 weeks. Some people return sooner if they can wear a mask.

In many cases, titanium plates can safely stay in the body. They are removed 6–12 months later, after the bone has healed, if they can be felt, cause discomfort or inflammation, or if you wish to have them removed. The cost of pin removal for patients who had surgery at our clinic is listed in the fee schedule.

When the upper jaw moves, the position and thickness of the area under the nose and the lips may also change. We predict and explain these soft tissue changes in the 3D simulation, but soft tissue changes are less predictable than bone changes.

For people with a small lower jaw and a narrow airway, surgery that moves the jaw forward may widen the airway. Conversely, surgery that moves the jaw backward may narrow the airway, so we always evaluate airway space when planning surgery.

We first evaluate the condition of your jaw joint. If joint inflammation or resorption is in progress, we stabilize it with treatment and then decide on the timing of surgery. After surgery, jaw joint symptoms may improve, or may temporarily become uncomfortable.

Relapse refers to the jaw partially moving back toward its original position after surgery. We reduce the risk through accurate planning, stable fixation, post-surgical orthodontics, and elastics, but it is not zero. The larger the movement, the higher the likelihood.

An anesthesiologist is dedicated to anesthesia during surgery and continuously monitors BIS, breathing, ECG, and oxygen saturation. We check for anesthesia risk factors through pre-surgery tests, and if the risk is high, we postpone surgery or do not recommend it.

Yes. Because it is a private room, a guardian may stay beside you as long as it does not interfere with the hospital's operations. A sofa for guardians is provided.

From 2 weeks before surgery, we advise you to quit smoking and stop taking aspirin and certain supplements (such as omega-3 and vitamin E). You will fast from the night before surgery. Please tell us about all medications you are taking at your consultation.

According to our fee schedule, orthognathic surgery is KRW 14,000,000 and lower jaw surgery is KRW 9,000,000, with additional charges for anesthesia, hospitalization, tests, and combined procedures. The exact cost is provided in writing after diagnosis.

Most procedures are not covered by national health insurance. In rare cases, such as congenital facial deformities, a procedure may meet insurance coverage criteria, and we will check this with you during your consultation.

Yes. We compare your previous surgical records with your current CT to first determine whether revision surgery would actually help. We recommend revision surgery only when the benefit is clear.

Yes. Foreign patients living in Korea, including students from China and Myanmar, are having surgery with us. If you need an interpreter, please let us know in advance and we will arrange one. We do not recruit patients through brokers.

Of course. If we determine during your consultation that surgery is not necessary, we will tell you so. You are welcome to take your time and come back after thinking it over.